Bibliotherapy Goldmine: Books on a Variety of Topics
Bibliotherapy Goldmine for Kids: A Comprehensive List of Books on a Variety of Topics
Reading books together with children is a wonderful way for parents and teachers to reach out and connect, particularly when special circumstances arise. The content and stories in books can be used instructionally to teach new skills, to help communicate understanding, and to share experiences for growth and development across a wide variety of topics. This compilation includes books that you can find on your library bookshelves, in bookstores, and online. There are suggested age ranges listed with each title to help select appropriate books for your child’s needs. Check back periodically for updates as well.
Do you have a favorite book you’d like added to our list? Let us know here!
Social Skills/ Friendship
A Rainbow of Friends by P.K. Hallinan (Ages 4-8)
Be Polite and Kind by Cheri Meiners (Ages 4-7)
Best Friends by Charlotte Labaronne (Ages 3-5)
Can You Be a Friend? by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)
Can You Talk to Your Friends? by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)
Care Bears: Caring Contest by Nancy Parent (Ages 3-6)
Care Bears: The Day Nobody Shared by Nancy Parent (Ages3-6)
Communication by Aliki (Ages 3-8)
Friendship Values to Live By by Sharon Lee Roberts (Ages 3-6)
Fox Makes Friends by Adam Relf (Ages 3-5)
Gigi and Lulu’s Gigantic Fight by Pamela Edwards (Ages 3-7)
Heartprints by P.K. Hallinan (Ages 3-6)
How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague (Ages 3-5)
How Do I Feel About Making Friends by Sarah Levete (Ages 4-9)
How to be a Friend by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (Ages 4-8)
How to Deal With Friends: A Child’s Practical Guide by Richard Powell (Ages 3-7)
How to Lose All Your Friends by Nancy Carlson (Ages 4-9)
Hunter’s Best Friend at School by Laura Malone Elliot (Ages 4-7)
I’m a Good Friend! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)
I Can Share by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)
I Can Cooperate! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)
I am Generous! by David Parker (Ages 2-5)
I’m Sorry by Sam McBratney (Ages 4-7)
It’s Hard to Share My Teacher by Joan Singleton Prestine (Ages5-6)
Jamberry by Bruce Degan (Ages 2-5)
Join In and Play by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear by Don & Audry Wood (Ages 2-5)
Making Friends by Fred Rogers (Ages 3-5)
Making Friends by Janine Amos (Ages 4-8)
Matthew and Tilly by Rebecca C. Jones (Ages 4-8)
Mine! Mine! Mine! By Shelly Becker (Ages 3-5)
Mine! A Backpack Baby Story by Miriam Cohen (Ages infant-2)
My Friend Bear by Jez Alborough (Ages 3-8)
My Friend and I by Lisa John-Clough (Ages 4-8)
One Lonely Sea Horse by Saxton Freymann & Joost Elffers (Ages 4-8)
Big Dog…Little Dog by P.D. Eastman (Ages 4-8)
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister (Ages 3-8)
Share and Take Turns by Cheri Meiners (Ages 5-8)
Sharing How Kindness Grows by Fran Shaw (Ages 3-5)
The Selfish Crocodile by Faustin Charles and Michael Terry (Ages 4-7)
Simon and Molly Plus Hester by Lisa Jahn-Clough (Ages 5-8)
Sometimes I Share by Carol Nicklaus (Ages 4-6)
Strawberry Shortcake and the Friendship Party by Monique Z. Sephens (Ages 2-5)
Sunshine & Storm by Elisabeth Jones (Ages 3-5)
Talk and Work it Out by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)
That’s What a Friend Is by P.K. Hallinan (Ages3-8)
We Are Best Friends by Aliki (Ages 4-7)
Accepting Differences
And Here’s to You by David Elliott (Ages 4-8)
Big Al by Andrew Clements (Ages 4-8)
The Brand New Kid by Katie Couric (Ages 3-8)
Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-7)
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes (Ages 4-8)
Franklin’s New Friend by Paulette Bourgeois (Ages 5-8)
Horace and Morris But Mostly Dolores by James Howe (Ages 4-8)
I Accept You as You Are! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)
It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr (Ages 3-8)
Kathy’s Hats: A Story of Hope by Trudy Krisher (Ages 4-8)
Margaret and Margarita by Lynn Reiser (Ages 5-8)
Zink the Zebra: A Special Tale by Kelly Weil (Ages 3-8)
Feelings
ABC Look at Me by Roberta Grobel Intrater (Ages infant-4)
“Baby Faces” books (most are by Roberta Grobel Intrater) (Ages infant-4)
Baby Faces by Margaret Miller (Ages infant-3)
Baby Senses Sight by Dr.S. Beaumont (ages infant -3)
Can You Tell How Someone Feels? (Early Social Behavior Book Series) by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)
Double Dip Feelings by Barbara Cain (Ages 5-8)
Feelings by Aliki (Ages 3-8)
The Feelings Book by Todd Parr (Ages 3-8)
The Feelings Book: The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions by American Girl Library (Ages 8 and up)
Feeling Happy by Ellen Weiss (Ages infants -3)
Glad Monster, Sad Monster by Ed Emberley & Anne Miranda (Ages infant-5)
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle (Ages 1-6)
The Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen (Ages 3-5)
The Three Grumpies by Tamra Wight (Ages 4-8)
Happy and Sad, Grouchy and Glad by Constance Allen (Ages 4-7)
How Are You Peeling: Foods with Moods by Saxton Freymann (Ages 5-8)
How Do I Feel? by Norma Simon (Ages 2-7)
How Do I Feel? by Houghton Mifflin (Ages infant-4)
How I Feel Proud by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)
How I Feel Silly by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)
How Kind by Mary Murphy (ages 2-5)
I Am Happy by Steve Light (Ages 3-6)
If You’re Happy and You Know it! by Jane Cabrera (Ages 3-6)
Little Teddy Bear’s Happy Face Sad Face by Lynn Offerman (a first book about feelings)
Lizzy’s Ups and Downs by Jessica Harper (Ages 3-9)
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss (Ages 3-8)
On Monday When It Rained by Cherryl Kachenmeister (Ages 3-8)
Proud of Our Feelings by Lindsay Leghorn (Ages 4-8)
See How I Feel by Julie Aigner-Clark (Ages infant-4)
Sometimes I Feel Like a Storm Cloud by Lezlie Evans (Ages 4-8)
Smudge’s Grumpy Day by Miriam Moss (Ages 3-8)
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain (Ages 4-8)
Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day by Jamie Lee (Ages 3-8)
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain (Ages 3-6)
What Makes Me Happy? by Catherine & Laurence Anholt (Ages 3-6)
What I Look Like When I am Confused (Let’s Look at Feeling Series) by Joanne Randolph (Ages 5-8)
When I Feel Frustrated by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)
When I Feel Jealous by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)
Happiness
Amadeus is Happy by Eli Cantillon (Ages 2-5)
Feeling Happy by Ellen Weiss (ages 2-5)
If You’re Happy and You Know it! by David Carter (Ages 2-6)
If You’re Happy and You Know It by Scholastic/Taggies book (Ages infant-2)
The Feel Good Book by Todd Parr (Ages 3-6)
Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora (Ages 2-5)
When I Feel Happy by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)
What Went Right Today? by Joan Buzick and Lindy Judd (Ages 3 – 8)
Sadness
Let’s Talk About Feeling Sad by Joy Berry (Ages 3-5)
Franklin’s Bad Day by Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark (Ages 5-8)
How I Feel Sad by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)
Hurty Feelings by Helen Lester (Ages 5-8)
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems (Ages 3-6)
Sometimes I Feel Awful by Joan Singleton Prestine (Ages 5-8)
The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle (Ages 4-7)
When I’m Feeling Sad by Trace Moroney (Ages 2-5)
When I Feel Sad by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)
Anger
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst (Ages 4-8)
Andrew’s Angry Words by Dorothea Lackner (Ages 4-8)
Bootsie Barker Bites by Barbara Bottner (Ages 4-8)
The Chocolate Covered Cookie Tantrum by Deborah Blementhal (Ages 5-8)
Don’t Rant and Rave on Wednesdays! By Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)
Goldie is Mad by Margie Palatini (Ages 3-7)
How I Feel Frustrated by Marcia Leonard (Ages 3-8)
How I Feel Angry by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)
Let’s Talk About Feeling Angry by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney (Ages 2-5)
Sometimes I’m Bombaloo by Rachel Vail (Ages 3-8)
That Makes Me Mad! by Steven Kroll (Ages 4-8)
The Rain Came Down by David Shannon (Ages 4-8)
The Temper Tantrum Book by Edna Mitchell Preston (Ages 3-6)
When I’m Angry by Jane Aaron (Ages 3-7)
When I’m Feeling Angry by Trace Moroney (Ages 2-5)
When I Feel Angry by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)
When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry by Molly Garrett (Ages 3-7)
Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes. (Ages 4-8)
Fear/Worry
Creepy Things are Scaring Me by Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey (Ages 4-8)
Don’t Pop Your Cork on Mondays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)
Franklin in The Dark by Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark (Ages 5-8)
How I Feel Scared by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)
I Am Not Going to School Today by Robie H. Harris (Ages 4-8)
No Such Thing by Jackie French Koller (Ages 5-8)
Sam’s First Day by David Mills & Lizzie Finlay (Ages 3-7)
Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-8)
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-8)
When I’m Feeling Scared by Trace Moroney (Ages 2-5)
When I Feel Scared by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)
Empathy
Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman (Ages 3-5)
Can You Tell How Someone Feels by Nita Everly (ages 3-6)
Understand and Care by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)
When I Care about Others by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)
Problem Solving
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (Ages 2-7)
Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems (Ages 2-7)
I Did It, I’m Sorry by Caralyn Buehner (Ages 5-8)
It Wasn’t My Fault by Helen Lester (Ages 4-7)
Talk and Work it Out by Cheri Meiners (Ages 4-8)
Self-Confidence
ABC I like Me by Nancy Carlson (Ages 4-6)
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman (Ages 4-8)
Arthur’s Nose by Marc Brown (Ages 3-8)
The Blue Ribbon Day by Katie Couric (Ages 4-8)
Can You Keep Trying by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)
Don’t Feed the Monster on Tuesdays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)
I Can Do It Myself (A Sesame Street Series) by Emily Perl Kingsley (Ages 2-4)
I’m in Charge of Me! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)
I am Responsible! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)
The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper (Ages 3-7)
Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis (Ages 4-7)
Too Loud Lilly by Sophia Laguna (Ages 4-7)
Try and Stick With It by Cheri Meiners (Ages 4-8)
26 Big Things Little Hands Can Do by Coleen Paratore (Ages 1-6)
The Very Clumsy Click Beetle by Eric Carle (Ages 3-7)
Whistle for Willie by Erza Jack Keats (Ages 4-7)
You Can Do It, Sam by Amy Hest (Ages 2-6)
Stick Up For Yourself! Every Kid’s Guide to Personal Power and Positive Self-Esteem by G. Kaufman, L. Raphael, and P. Espeland (Ages 10-14)
Good Behavior
Can You Listen with Your Eyes? by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)
Can You Use a Good Voice? by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)
David Goes to School by David Shannon (Ages 3-8)
David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon (Ages 3-8)
Don’t Tell a Whopper on Fridays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)
Excuse Me!: A Little Book of Manners by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)
Feet Are Not for Kicking by Elizabeth Verdick (Ages 2-4)
Hands are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi (Ages 2-8)
Hands Can by Cheryl Willis Hudson (ages 1-5)
Help Me Be Good! A Children’s Book About Being Mean by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
Help Me Be Good! A Children’s Book About Being Rude by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
Help Me Be Good! A Children’s Book About Disobeying by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
Help Me Be Good! A Children’s Book About Fighting by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
Help Me Be Good! A Book About Whining by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
I Tell the Truth! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)
I Show Respect! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)
Know and Follow Rules by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)
Let’s Talk About Being Helpful by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
Let’s Talk About Needing Attention by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
Listen and Learn by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)
No Biting by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)
No, David by David Shannon (Ages 3-8)
No Hitting by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)
Please is a Good Word to Say by Barbara Joosse (Ages 3-8)
Please Play Safe! Penguin’s Guide to Playground Safety by Margery Cuyler (Ages 2-5)
26 Big Things Small Hands Can Do by Coleen Paratore (Ages 3-5)
Quiet and Loud by Leslie Patricelli (Ages 1-3)
Words Are Not for Hurting by Elizabeth Verdick (Ages 3-6)
ADHD
Eagle Eyes: A Child’s Guide to Paying Attention by Jeanne Gehret (Ages 6-11)
Jumpin’ Johnny Get Back to Work! A Child’s Guide to ADHD/Hyperactivity by Michael Gordon (Ages 5-9)
My Brother’s A World-Class Pain: A Sibling’s Guide to ADHD/Hyperactivity by Michael Gordon (Ages 5-9)
Sit Still! by Nancy Carlson (Ages 3-8)
Family Relationships
A Forever Family: A Book About Adoption by Roslyn Banish (Ages 4-10)
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman and Carlos Rivera (Ages infant-5)
At Daddy’s on Saturdays by Linda Walvoord Girard (Ages 5-9)
Baby Dance by Ann Taylor (Ages infant-4)
Because I Love You So Much by Guido van Genechten (Ages 2-5)
Counting Kisses by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)
Dinosaurs Divorce: A Guide for Changing Families by Laurene Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (Ages 4-9)
Do I Have A Daddy? by Jeanne Warren Lindsay (Ages 3-8)
Don’t Forget I Love You by Mariam Moss (Ages 2-7)
Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke (Ages 4-6)
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney (Ages infant-5)
Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen (Ages 5-8)
How Do I Love You? by P.K. Hallinan (Ages infant-5)
I Love it When You Smile by Sam McBratney (Ages 3-5)
I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas (Ages 3-5)
I Love You: A Rebus Poem by Jean Marzollo (Ages 1-6)
I Love You the Purplest by Barbara M. Joose (Ages 4-8)
I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak (Ages 1-5)
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn (Ages 3-8)
Koala Lou by Mem Fox (Ages 4-7)
Little One by Lisa Wheeler (Ages infant-3)
Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara Joosse (Ages 3-6)
More, More, More, Said the Baby: Three Love Stories by Vera B. Williams Morrow (Ages infant-3)
No Matter What by Debi Gliori (Ages 2-5)
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell (Ages 3-7)
Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee (Ages infant-5)
Willie’s Not the Hugging Kind by Joyce Durham Barrett (Ages 6-9)
You’re All My Favorites by Sam Mc Bratney (Ages 5-7)
Bullying/Teasing
A Children’s Book About Being Bullied by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
A Children’s Book About Teasing by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)
A Weekend with Wendell by Kevin Henkes (Ages 4-8)
The Berenstain Bears and the Bully by Stan and Jan Berenstain (Ages 4-7)
Big Bad Bruce by Bill Peet (Ages 4-8)
Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-7)
Coyote Raid in Cactus Canyon J. Arnosky (Ages 4-8)
Don’t Be a Menace on Sundays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)
Gobbles! by Ezra Jack Kets (Ages 4-8)
Hats by Kevin Luthardt (Ages 3-6)
Hooway for Wodney Wat! by Helen Lester (Ages 5-8)
Hugo and the Bully Frogs by Francesca Simon (Ages 3-7)
Trevor Trevor by Diane Cullen (Ages 3-8)
The Ant Bully by J. Nickle (Ages 3-8)
Bully Trouble by J. Cole (Ages 7-9)
Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Bully? by T. Slater (Ages 7-9)
King of the Playground by P. Reynolds Naylor (Ages 7-9)
Push and Shove: Bully and Victim Activity by J. Boulden (Ages 9-11)
My Name is Not Dummy by E. Crary (Ages 9-11)
Simon’s Hook: A Story About Teases and Put-Downs by K. Gedig Burnett (Ages 9-11)
Pinky Rex and the Bully by J. Howe (Ages 9-11)
Bully on the Bus by C.W. Bosch (Ages 10-14)
How to Handle Bullies, Teasers, and Other Meanies by K. Cohen-Posey (Ages 10-14)
Grief and Death
Don’t Despair on Thursdays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)
The Fall of Freddie the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia (Ages 5-adult)
Goodbye Mousie by Robert Harris (Ages 3-8)
I Miss You by Pat Thomas (Ages 4-8)
The Next Place by Warren Hanson (Ages 5-adult)
Sad Isn’t Bad: Grief Guidebook for Kids Dealing with Loss Series by Michaelene Mundy (Ages 5-8)
When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide To Understanding Death by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (Ages 3-9)
Scat by A. Dobrin (Ages 5-9)
A Season for Mangoes by R. Hanson (Ages 5-9)
Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs by T. DePaola (Ages 5-13)
Bluebird Summer by D. Hopkinson (Ages 6-11)
Annie and the Old One by M. Miles (Ages 6-12)
Felita by N. Mohr (Ages 7-11)
Grandma’s Scrapbook by J. Nobisso (Ages 7-12)
Siblings
A Baby for Max by Maxwell Knight
A Baby Sister for Frances by Russell Hoban
Baby Sister Says No by Mercer Mayer
Big Brother by Charlotte Zolotow
Big Sister, Little Sister by Charlotte Zolotow
Do You Know What I’ll Do? by Charlotte Zolotow
Go and Hush the Baby by Betsy Byars
I love My Baby Sister (Most of the Time) by Elaine Edelman
Just Me and My Little Brother by Mercer Mayer
Just Me and My Little Sister by Mercer Mayer
Me Too! by Mercer Mayer
Nobody Asked If I Wanted A Baby Sister by Martha Alexander
On Mother’s Lap by Ann Herbert Scott
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
That New Baby by Sara Bonnett Stein
The New Baby by Fred Rogers
Let Me Tell You About My Baby by Roslyn Banish
Walk Home Tired, Bill Jenkins by Ianthe Thomas
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Ian’s Walk: A Story About Autism by Laurie Lears (Ages 4-8)